Missing
by straitjackit
Summary: “I reserve the right to smack him round the head.” Chapter 2: Peter breaks his word to Aslan...
1. Missing

Sorry to anyone waiting on Carte Blanche, but this had to be done... Thanks to H Max Marius for beta'ing! Love ya, duckie! (Did I just say duckie?)

Title: Missing  
Summary: "I reserve the right to smack him round the head." Someone goes missing.  
Notes: Because I'm now going through this. Hopefully, the story will have a happy ending, depending on the outcome of real life. Sort of a "how did Peter feel?" fic. Drabble-esque two-shot.  
Disclaimer: See profile.

* * *

The moment he noticed that the scowling member of the family had disappeared, Peter saw red. 

"I'm going to bloody kill him."

When he first saw the space where Edmund had been was now vacant, he figured the little blighter had stepped outside. It wasn't safe to be out in the open (or so Mr Beaver said), but Edmund was once again being a selfish idiot. The rage he felt at his disobedient younger brother was overwhelming, and a part of him wanted to teach him a lesson he would not forget.

"I reserve the right to smack him round the head," he muttered to himself as he ran to the door and threw it open, before calling for his brother over the wind.

There was no response, and no sulking, dark haired child in sight.

Peter's heart was suddenly very much as cold and empty as the stairs.

While the younger brother might not have noticed, Peter did care about Edmund, possibly more so than either of his sisters. Edmund had always been one to get into trouble or, rather, trouble was an expert at finding him. Even before going to that horrid school, it was likely he would return home with a fresh black eye blooming beautifully on his face, or one of his siblings would find him in a lone swing park, watching the other boys his age play a game of football, too afraid of a few mean children to ask if he could join in.

As a result, Peter felt it his duty as an older brother to watch Edmund's back; to make sure he always had someone to play with, to ensure he got home safe and sound, to help the boy climb up the tree to get the satchel that had been thrown up into the topmost branches by lads a few years older than him...

And now in a strange and dangerous world, Edmund had wandered off, lost somewhere amid the snow and ice. Peter felt as though his heart had stopped beating, and a sense of emptiness as deep as the ocean threatened to consume him. He trembled, knees weakening and bucking under the sudden weight that had dropped onto his shoulders, guilt and fear eating away at his mind.

A warm hand slipped into his own, and a face entered his view. Susan smiled softly, not covering up her own concerns, and placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. Lucy slipped her empty hand into her sister's, and pulled them both forward.

Silently, they began to search for their wayward lamb, a new resolve filling Peter and blocking the cascade of emotions.

Peter's little brother was missing.

He would be found.

And Peter was going to slap Edmund round the head after he'd thanked the heavens for his safe return.

* * *

Ok, it's short and pretty crappy, but I'm trying to channel this confident Peter, because all I can think about right now is how I'm going to give my friend a fucking kick in the head when she turns up. It's not been a day or anything, but she always calls home when her plans change, and she'd only gone to the local store for some bread. Her mother is worried enough to call around, and no one has seen her, so I'm freaking. And I freak by being violent towards the person causing me to freak. 

See you in chapter 2!


	2. Reconciliation

Part two of Missing, which is now a three shot and the prequel to Serenade and Cavatina (coming soon).

* * *

To see his little brother standing there was nothing short of wondrous. The tousled hair, the slightly worse-for-wear face, battered and bedraggled clothing, but it was Edmund. He was safe, he was sound.

After the younger boy had changed, however...

"You bloody prat!"

Peter stormed into the tent, grabbing his brother by the shoulders and shaking him fiercely, eyes as cold as the icicles that made up the Witch's castle. Edmund, thoroughly shocked and quite scared, simply stared at his brother, shivering as if he had been thrown into a lake in the winter.

Letting go of the now-bruised shoulders, the blonde brother cupped one hand around Edmund's chin and used the other to slap him around the head quite harshly. Ignoring the tears that were now running from his eyes, Peter moved and enveloped Edmund in a hug.

It was a strange sensation - anger and joy were fighting for right of way in the elder child's heart, leaving him to feel as though he were about to explode, and quite speechless.

"You selfish, stupid, bloody little prat..." he cried, clutching the other as if he had made to leave.

With a nice bruise forming somewhere on the back of his head, Edmund tentatively brought his arms up and wrapped them around Peter's back, linking his hands together. When the older boy made no response, he squeezed his arms a little tighter.

His eyes bulged out as Peter returned the tightening of the grip tenfold, threatening to crack a few ribs.

"Peter..."

Peter lifted his head and looked into his brother's eyes. Oh, how he wished he had done this upon laying eyes on the wretch as he stood beside Aslan, head lowered. But no - he had to be strong for the girls. He couldn't break down and cry while they were there.

_I shouldn't here either_, he thought.

Aloud, he continued to mutter obscenities under his breath, lifting one hand to move some of the dark bangs out of his little brother's face.

"If you ever try anything like that again, I swear to Aslan that I will kill you myself. Understand? Never leave my sight again, Edmund. I couldn't bear it, you twit."

Edmund laughed slightly, and at that precise moment Peter thought he had never heard such a beautiful sound.

Grabbing him into another hug, the oldest Pevensie muttered something to himself.

"Why can't you ever do as you're told?"

* * *

Good news, peeps - she showed. Stupid cow left her phone at home and didn't tell anyone where the fuck she was going. I swear, when I actually see her... (kicks in shin).

See you next chapter!


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